In bounds avi's

When conditions are like they are now, I wear my beacon and carry my gear. If something happened, I want to be able to respond, not have to ski away to look for help. I hope that the patrol has taken care of the danger to the best of their abilities but I know that they are only human and that sometimes mistakes are made and you can't control everything all of the time. It is important for people to realize that the snowpack is a complicated structure that changes very quickly. When an area is closed it is closed because they feel it is unsafe for use, not because they want to "save it" for the weekend or a certain group.
I think the media plays a big part in peoples perception of avalanches and their danger. I read an article that described a "cascade of snow". This leads people to think an avalanche is soft when really it is more like having concrete poured over you.
At the resort the bottom line is DON'T CROSS THE SIGN LINES and almost all of the time you will be ok.

I was skiing just off the Deer chair (to the left) with my daughter the other day and looking up at Curry Bowl there were tracks going up. A ski patrol was on the radio saying they had found the tracks and I guess they were trying to locate the person that had gone out of bounds.

I don't understand why someone would risk the safety of others just for the thrill of skiing untracked powder. Don't they realize they are endangering the lives of others?

Hopefully FAR has zero tolerance. It's almost a shame perpetrators can't be arrested and charged for going out of bounds when the conditions are this sketchy.

I don't think that going out of bounds should be a criminal offence. You are choosing to access the terrain and you should take responsibility for it. Crossing a sign line at the hill is a different matter. I mean going above or between the "Closed-Avalanche" signs. That can be criminally dangerous, just like driving recklessly.

Canadian Avalanche Association summary of the current snowpack:
"Widespread snowpack weakness is reported. The primary problem with the region's snowpack is that the surface layers of snow rest on a thick layer of facets (sugar, up to 25 cm thick) resting on a crust (or ice layer). Below that it's depth hoar. Picture the last two week's snow resting on marbles sitting on a sheet of plywood supported by a layer of popcorn. Now tilt it... "

to read the full report
www.avalanche.ca/CAC_Bulletin_Forecast?RegionID=5

yeah, that's what I meant I just got the terminology wrong. I did mean "in bounds" but areas which are closed for avalanche risk.

yeah, I thought so

I love your marbles and popcorn analogy snowydreads. If more people had that visual we might not end up with so many problems.

Here is a very sobering report and follow up video from a Wasatch avalanche Dec 26th. The person buried only went 10 feet yet was buried with his head 6 feet under the snow pack. But against a tree and in a difficult area to reach. Slide mid slope of 27-28 degrees and only 32 at the crown.

Incident report here.

http://www.avalanche.org/av-reports/proc-show.php3?OID=24731277

Here's a UT Avi Center video taking the guys back to the site. Not very steep. Big hole.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1oLqemNyGc

I have an account of the avalanche written by Tom and will try to get permission to post his piece. He ends with a very articulate examination of the places they made the wrong decisions and where their realistic training exercises saved the life of the fellow buried. One of the more interesting comments is that without three people digging, he didn't think they would have pulled him out in time. So much for the buddy system. Quads are the way to go.

It is interesting to remember roughly half the people buried in an avalanche are dead when the avalanche stops. Half. Something like 90% of the rest die if they are not pulled out in 4 to 6 minutes. I'll try to dig up the origin of the stats on the Colorado Avi site.

That you tube video is an eye opener. They said the slope was only 28 degrees, they guy barely stepped out. I consider myself conservative and cautious in the back country, but I can't see myself doing anything different than the group of skiers in the video did! Scary stuff! It looks like it will be some time before we start touring around here.

I too always wear a beacon in bounds. I've skied this mountain for over 30 years now and have seen a lot of in bounds avi's and sloughs etc happen, I've even taken a few rides on the white dragons, fortunately they were only baby dragons.

I hear a lot of people (some who should know better too) complaining nothing is opened. Look what's happening all around you there is plenty of potential for something to go huge. My hat is off to the snow safety crew at FAR....it's a high pressure job with the holiday crowds and the current snow pack conditions. There's been enough misery in the valley this last week we don't need any more. Play safe and have patients and live to play another day!